Community Development and Infrastructure
Overview
Mission Statement
To improve customer service, streamline projects, and to align public infrastructure and private development to further County goals in attainable housing, reliable transportation, and sustainable environment.
Department Overview
The Community Development and Infrastructure (CDI) budget represents a commitment to providing a built environment that is affordable, equitable, resilient and safe through stewardship of the County General Plan, an efficient Unified Permit Center, administering vital affordable housing funds, maintaining over 600 miles of roads, addressing buildings and public infrastructure impacted by climate change, and making strategic investments in the built environment for future generations.
Budget Summary
Department Budget Overview
Budget Summary of Changes
The budget represents a significant decline compared to the previous year due mainly to the cessation of most 2023 federally declared disaster road repair projects. These federally declared disaster projects are up to 94% reimbursed by the federal and state partners: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). However, the volume and frequency of such disasters, combined with delays in reimbursement payments, require the County to issue debt until reimbursements are received. Therefore majority of the estimated remaining $60 milIion in 2023 projects have been paused until funding is available. For the Planning Division, the budget includes a contract amendment for the Recovery Permit Center (4Leaf) increasing the budget by $600,000 and extending the term to December 31, 2024, to transition services back to County staff. The budget also includes increasing three consulting plan check contracts from $50,000 to $200,000 each and implementing the Third-Party Plan Check program, allowing applicants the option to use third-party plan check review. Both programs will serve to reduce buildering permit plan check times.
The budget recommends a net reduction of 7.75 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions. The Capital Projects and Real Property Division is moving to the General Servies Department, removing 10.0 FTE positions, including 1.0 FTE Director of Capital Projects, 1.0 FTE Chief Real Property Agent, 1.0 FTE Real Property Agent, 2.0 FTE Assistant Real Property Agents and 4.0 FTE Project Managers. These reductions are offset by the addition of 1.0 FTE Code Compliance Investigator and 1.0 FTE Accounting Technician for the Recycling and Solid Waste Enterprise and a 0.25 FTE increase to a Board Clerk position dedicated to the Santa Cruz County Sanitation District.
Supplemental Budget Summary of Changes
The Supplemental Budget allows for the relatively modest continuation of 2023 storm disaster road projects by leveraging bond proceeds while planning to pay down debt that was issued to sustain cash flow while the County awaits reimbursements from its federal and state partners for projects already completed. The budget provides for up to 13 projects to start construction in Fiscal Year 2024-25, 19 to be designed and several others have minor budgeted closeout and re-vegetation costs for recently completed projects. Together, these new projects commit the County to an estimated $26 million worth of costs over several fiscal years. Details can be found in the attachment below.
The Supplemental Budget pays down an internal County loan from the Worker’s Compensation Fund for 2023 storm disaster road projects completed and a debt service payment for new projects budgeted in Fiscal Year 2024-25. In addition, the budget includes approximately $600,000 of expenses for 2017 storm disaster road projects due to increased confidence in federal reimbursement obligations.
Finally, the Supplemental Budget adds 1.0 FTE Accounting Technician position to assist in work necessary to obtain reimbursements for disaster projects.
FY 2024-25 Public Works Capital Infrastructure — Project Details
Open the Services Overview or Operational Plan Objectives below for more details.
Department Services and Objectives
Footnotes
1 – Indicates change from FY 2021-22 Allowed Budget
2 – General Fund Contribution is the share of General County Revenues (primarily property tax and other local taxes) allocated to each department. Other funds that contribute to this budget are shown on the Budget Details page.
3 – Indicates change from FY 2021-22 Adjusted Funded Positions (including Board-approved mid-year changes as of April 1, 2022).
Budget Details
The charts below show department expenditures and revenues by division and service. Click on the pie charts to drill down for more detail. Complete detail can be found on the County's Transparency Portal.
Expenses by Service
Expenses and Revenues over time
Personnel Details
The chart below provides the department personnel detail by division, service, and classification.